Guardian Angel
by Lost Legendaerie
Summary: TamakiHaruhi - It had been years since she'd lost her mother, but the sting was still there.  It was like she'd lost a limb, and while it would never grow back, she could still live without it.  "Yes, let's all pray for a guardian angel for Haruhi-kun!"


Soooo. I've finished watching the anime; perhaps if I have time before I graduate, I'll be able to read the manga? How many books are there, honestly?

Pardon my suck, just in case. As I said, only watched the anime (but watching it subbed gives me some otaku points, right? D8) but I'm also trying to us Moonchild10's amaaaazing works as a guideline for how the pairing could/should work. Takes place right after the Alice in Wonderland episode. Mainly because I wanted to use their awesome costumes~

Here we go!

- O -

Guardian Angel

- O -

_Mother..._

Haruhi hugged her arms to her chest, still trying to shake off the memories of her dream. They surrounded her like a thick, heavy mist - but not unpleasantly. More than anything, she wanted to take off this silly kimono, go home and study until she could sleep again.

Although, she was thankful Tamaki had put up such a squall over the initial clothing the Hitachiin Twins - currently dressed up as a pair of Cheshire Cats - had chosen for her from their family's line. She hadn't been able to see it very well, since Tamaki's exaggerated, fussy outburst had contained a lot of distracting flailing, but it was some kind of short, pink waitress outfit, and looked to be full of itchy lace, annoying puffs and all sorts of frippery.

"Haruhi-kun," one of her guests called to her, kneeling on a tatami mat and sipping tea, "you are staring into space. Is everything all right?"

"Oh, I'm sorry." The Host stifled a yawn with her hand. "I stayed up a bit late studying, so I'm tired. Please forgive me for neglecting you."

"It's fine," smiled another, tucking one long mahogany lock behind her ear. "It's so admirable that you work so hard, Haruhi-kun. You came here to be a lawyer, is that right?"

Haruhi nodded and had to smile again to conceal the sudden sadness she worried could be seen in her eyes. It had been years since she'd lost her mother - but the sting was still there. It was like she'd lost a limb, and while it would never grow back, she could still live without it.

"Yes, I did. And I can only hope that one day, I'll be able to be as capable as her." Haruhi's expression softened, warmed by genuine emotion, and her guest's sighed with sympathy.

"Ah, Haruhiiii~!"

The moment was shattered by Tamaki bounding over and hugging her to his stomach with unbridled enthusiasm, utterly shattering his guise as an English gentleman. "Your daddies are both so proud of you, so your mommy must be, too! Oh, I mean, your mommy that's not Kyoya," he clarified, releasing her and looking down at her with serious indigo eyes.

"I guessed as much, Tamaki-senpai," she murmured, suddenly feeling even more exhausted. A lacy black fan came between them, and the 'other mommy' smiled coldly behind his glasses, tilting his head so the tall ponytail of his extensions swished against his dress.

"My lord, you're neglecting your guests," he chided his classmate, tapping Tamaki on the nose meaningfully with his fan as he folded it up. "Remember?"

The scold was there - veiled, but obvious enough that the blonde got the hint, albeit it with a small whine that quickly vanished in the face of his normal, gallant cheer. As he returned to his couch, to sighs of "Tamaki-sama," Kyoya nodded down at her.

"Don't neglect yours either, Haruhi," he added, more gently than to Tamaki, as he glided away. All around the music room, the Host Club was at work; Honey munching away at his favorite strawberry cake along with something called carrot cake, imported from a foreign country, as was appropriate for his guise as a bunny; Mori was standing guard as a knight beside him, watching over all with a gallant, yet not too distant, eye; and the Twins were curled up in a sinuous tangle of limbs and tails as cats.

The mingle of themes - which Tamaki had proclaimed as a surefire commoner strategy, the Medley Stewpot of Hosts - was slightly chaotic to Haruhi's sleepy senses, but she entertained her faithful trio as best as she could.

Dreams would have to wait; debts were more important right now.

"Haruhi," piped up the little black-haired girl, "you do all of the housework, don't you? That must be tiring, on top of your studies."

"I guess." She shrugged slightly. "It can feel pretty overwhelming, but I do the best that I can."

The brunette clapped her hands suddenly. "I know! You could ask your mother to send you a guardian angel to help with the chores!"

Haruhi smothered a groan. "Really, it's not that terrible of a task-"

"I'm sure they could spare one!" The rest of her guests seemed smitten by the idea. "Yes, let's all pray for a guardian angel for Haruhi-kun at our next visit to the temple!"

As flowers and hearts fairly flew from her guests, the host sighed. _They're missing the point. I don't mind the housework, or looking after Father. I don't need anyone to look after me, honestly. _

_Other than being in debt, I think I'm doing just fine._

- O -

She heard steps outside the curtains as she struggled out of her kimono, and paused. "Hello?"

"Haruhi, it's you!" The puppy like smile she could hear in his voice was vivid in her mind, but even he knew not to burst through the thin wall of yellow fabric and crush her in another hug. "I was worried you'd gone home already."

"Why's that, senpai?" Haruhi muttered as she peeled off the expensive garment carefully and awkwardly set it to the side as she picked up her normal clothes.

There was an odd silence - odd in the way that Tamaki was almost never silent. Even when sulking, he could be heard quietly nursing whatever mortal wound had been inflicted on his simple soul.

"Tamaki-senpai?" she prompted him as she fiddled with her buttons. He made a startled little noise, something between a gasp and a squeak.

"Well, um, you know... Daddy was worried about you, right? Since you said fell asleep before our guests arrived. Perfectly normal for a daddy to be worried when his precious Haruhi is sleepy when she normally isn't."

Once more, she pictured him beaming nervously, teetering on the brink of another pit of unfathomable despair, trying oh so hard to be a model 'daddy'.

"I've just been studying really hard lately," she explained, turning to the mirror to fix her tie; he walked closer, and she heard him sigh very softly as he leaned against one of the supports beside the curtains, or so she guessed.

"To be like your mother, right?"

Haruhi hadn't been expecting the unspeakable gentleness that had slipped into his tone, washing away his flustered silliness and granting him a measure of sanity like she hadn't seen much since that day he'd fished her wallet out of the pond.

"Yes," she answered, simply. His question had been simple, too, so she figured it would be best to match it. "I still miss her, and I like to think that... when she looks down at me, that she'd proud of me. So I have to work hard."

"I think she'd be proud of you, no matter what you were doing. Even if you'd never made it into Ouran as an honor student," he noted softly. Then some of his composure dissolved, and she pictured the nervously cheerful turn of his countenance as he stammered, "I-I mean, if I was your mommy I would be proud of you. I'm your daddy, and that's not the same-"

She slid the curtains aside with a flourish, her blue blazer slung loose around her shoulders as she gave him a no nonsense look. "Tamaki-senpai," she started; his expression was exactly as she'd guessed, down to the startled blinks of his indigo eyes, and she hesitated. She'd planned to chide him, to tell him off for presuming himself her father, to walk away exasperated and leave him in his corner of woe.

Instead she smiled softly. "That's a kind thing for you to say. Thank you."

He blushed, and everything would have been fine and sweet if they'd left it like that and simply gone home. But of course, they didn't.

With a squeal of joy, Tamaki swept her up in his arms, knocking her entirely off her feet and spinning her around dramatically. "Oh, Haruhi, you're so cute!"

"Do you have to be like this, senpai?" She struggled in his grip, tired and somewhat cranky; she wanted to go home and study? Did this boy ever listen?

"Yes, of course! Daddy has to watch over you, doesn't he?"

"Why?"

He let her go, rather abruptly, and she was surprised to see his eyes glistening with tears. He was certainly one to cry easily, but what had she said?

"Because I'm worried about you, Haruhi. No one looks after you, really, do they?"

She sighed heavily. _Damn these rich people._ "Tamaki-senpai, housework is not going to kill me-"

"I wasn't talking about that. I mean..." He flusher deeper, looking shyly at Haruhi as though he was afraid she would hit him. "I know what you're like when it storms; how you always try to get through it alone. And I worry about what other things you try to do on your own."

Tamaki pushed the tips of his index fingers together. "You shouldn't have to shoulder everything on your own. Just remember that, ok?"

_Oh._

So that was what her guests had meant - then again she could see them deeming cooking a toxic waste of time - when they had talked about a guardian angel. Someone to always be there for her.

Haruhi relaxed, and buttoned up her blazer. "I will. See you tomorrow, Tamaki-senpai."

Like a flipped switch, he was back to his puppy mode. "Bye, Haruhi! Be safe, ok? Daddy loves you!"

A guardian angel. That might be nice.

Maybe she already had one.

- O -


End file.
